The Curse of Intelligence
The western streets of the Liu Clan were bustling with activity, as cultivators of all ages and abilities went about their daily business. The streets were lined with rows of shops and stalls selling everything from rare herbs and elixirs to Spiritual Artifacts. The air was filled with the sound of chattering voices and the clanging of hammers as blacksmiths forged their wares.
The streets themselves were wide and well-paved, with cobblestones that had been polished to a shine by the footsteps of countless cultivators over the years. The buildings were tall and grand, with ornate carvings and gilded rooftops that glinted in the sunlight.
Beyond the western streets lay the rolling hills and forests of the Liu Clan's territory, home to a variety of rare and exotic plants and animals. The cultivators of the Liu Clan often ventured into these wild lands to gather herbs and materials, or to hunt and train their Soul Remnants.
A young man named Liu Zhang walked through the western streets of the Liu Clan. Liu Zhang is a young man in his early twenties with a lean and agile build. He has a sharp, angular face with piercing eyes that seem to miss nothing. His hair is jet black and styled in a messy, windswept manner, as if he is always in a hurry.
As Liu Zhang walked through the western streets of the Liu Clan, his gaze was drawn upwards, towards the clear blue sky above. He stopped in his tracks and looked up, taking in the vast expanse of the heavens with a sense of awe and wonder.
To Liu Zhang, the sky was a metaphor for life itself - vast, infinite, and full of endless possibilities. He couldn't help but feel a sense of reverence and respect as he looked up at the clear blue sky, his thoughts turning to the great mysteries of the universe and the many paths that lay before him.
As he looked up, Liu Zhang's mind was filled with philosophical musings, his thoughts wandering through a maze of ideas and concepts. He saw the sky as a canvas, painted with the brushstrokes of the gods, each stroke a reminder of the vastness and complexity of the world.
And as he gazed up at the sky, Liu Zhang suddenly noticed something through the corner of his eye - a book, lying on the ground.
Liu Zhang shifted his gaze from the sky to the book lying on the ground, his eyes narrowing as he considered it. Who would leave their book here? he thought to himself, a sense of curiosity and suspicion rising within him.
He approached the book and bent down to pick it up, his eyes scanning the cover as he read the title: 'Art of Cultivated Wisdom.' The words seemed to jump off the page, as if they were calling out to him.
. . .
Art of Cultivated Wisdom — Fear
"Fear is like a mirage in the desert, appearing real but ultimately a deception."
Once upon a time, in a vast and beautiful forest of courage. The animals lived in harmony and peace, and there was never a dull moment in the forest.
One day, a rumor began to spread among the animals that a fierce and powerful predator had been sighted in the forest. The animals became terrified, and many of them began to hide in their dens and burrows, too afraid to venture out.
As the days went by, the fear among the animals grew. They stopped playing and exploring, and instead spent their days huddled in fear, waiting for the predator to attack.
The fear began to consume the animals, and they became more and more isolated from one another. The once vibrant and lively forest became quiet and still, as the animals were too afraid to make any noise or movement.
As the fear spread, the animals began to turn on one another. They accused each other of being the predator, and soon the forest was filled with mistrust and suspicion.
One day, a small and timid mouse spoke up. "Why are we allowing fear to control us like this?" she asked. "We are strong and capable creatures. We should not let fear dictate our actions."
The other animals listened to the mouse's words, and they began to realize the truth in them. They decided to band together and face their fear head on. When the predator finally appeared, the animals were ready for it.
They stood united and brave, and the predator fled in fear. From that day on, the animals learned the important lesson that fear should not control them. They returned to their happy and carefree lives, and the forest once again became a place of joy and harmony.
—
Fear is often compared to an illusion, as it is a feeling that is not based on reality but rather on our perception and interpretation of a situation. It is like a mirage in the desert, appearing real and tangible but ultimately a deception.
Just as a mirage can trick us into believing that there is water in the distance, fear can trick us into believing that danger is imminent, even when it is not. It can cause us to make irrational decisions and take unnecessary actions, such as fleeing from a perceived threat or lashing out at others.
In this way, fear can be seen as something to be feared itself, as it has the power to distort our perception of reality and control our actions. It is like a shadowy figure, lurking in the corners of our mind, waiting to distort our thoughts and manipulate our behavior.
Therefore, it is important to recognize fear for what it is – an illusion – and to not let it have too much power over us. Just as we should not be swayed by the false promise of water in a desert mirage, we should not be swayed by the false promises of fear. Instead, we should face it with courage and clarity, and not let it dictate our actions.
"Fear is a chain that binds us tight,
Holding us back from reaching new heights.
But if we face it head on and fight,
We'll discover a strength we didn't know was right.
So let fear be your guide,
And take a step towards the unknown.
For only then can you truly reside,
In the Forest of Courage,
Where greatness is grown."
. . .
Liu Zhang's eyes darted back and forth across the page as he read, his facial expressions shifting with each new sentence. A look of surprise crossed his face as he absorbed the first few lines, and by the time he reached the end of the passage, he was visibly shaken. He stood there, frozen in place, as if the words on the page had turned him to stone.
As Liu Zhang held the book in his hands, he closed it and let it hang straight down in his waist. The words on the first page had made a strong impact on him.
The words written in the book seemed to be a manifestation of the thoughts and feelings that Liu Zhang had suppressed within himself. Despite having grand ambitions, he had allowed fear and procrastination to hold him back from taking the first step towards achieving them. He had convinced himself that he was still young and that there was always tomorrow to start, using various justifications to avoid taking action. He knew deep down that this was a flawed mindset, but he allowed himself to get lost in philosophical musings and pass the days without making any progress.
Looking back at his thoughts of how the world is full of possibilities he snorted and mocked it, actions speak louder than thoughts after all. Even if he was so cognitively gifted, he just used it to create various justifications for his procastination.
As Liu Zhang thought back on his earlier musings about the endless possibilities of the world, he couldn't help but scoff at himself. He realized that his thoughts were meaningless if he didn't take action to turn them into reality. Despite being highly intelligent and able to come up with complex justifications for his procrastination, he knew that it was ultimately his lack of action that was holding him back.
"The endless possibilities of this world are like a barrel of water with holes," Liu Zhang thought to himself. "If you don't take action to plug the holes, eventually all the water will drain out and you'll be left with nothing." He tried to use his intelligence and reasoning to motivate himself to overcome his procrastination but he knew it was a futile attempt.
Liu Zhang knew that trying to use his intelligence to motivate himself was a futile effort. He knew that the root of his procrastination was actually his own intelligence and superior cognitive abilities. His constantly flowing stream of consciousness often overwhelmed him, making it feel like any task or goal was an insurmountable mountain. His thoughts were quick to come up with elaborate justifications and excuses for why he shouldn't take action, and he found himself easily convinced to give up. In addition to this, his intelligence made him feel isolated from the world, like an observer rather than a participant.
This feeling of isolation, which had likely been with Liu Zhang since childhood, had led him to develop a sense of apathy towards the world and his own goals. He felt disconnected and disconnected from the world and the people around him, and as a result, he had lost the drive and motivation to pursue his ambitions and make the most of his potential. This apathetic attitude only served to reinforce his tendency to procrastinate and avoid taking action.
Liu Zhang had grown up in a toxic environment, with a father who was an extreme gambler and a mother who refused to leave him despite the abuse he inflicted on her and the family. Liu Zhang often criticized his mother for being so foolish and for choosing to stay with his abusive father, comparing her actions to choosing to eat a stone instead of the healthy food that was available to her. He saw her complaints about his father's actions and their negative impact on her as akin to eating a stone despite the other choices she had and then complaining about the pain it caused.
This difficult childhood had likely contributed to Liu Zhang's feelings of isolation and disconnection from the world and the people around him, as well as his tendency to develop apathetic attitudes towards his own goals and ambitions.
Liu Zhang used his intelligence and critical thinking skills to judge and criticize his mother and others in the world, but he knew deep down that he was just trying to make himself feel better about his own situation. He understood that he was being a hypocrite, knowing full well the challenges and difficulties of his own life but still failing to take action to improve it. He recognized that he was no better than his mother or those he judged, despite understanding their situations better than they did. This self-awareness only served to increase his feelings of frustration and helplessness, fueling his tendency to procrastinate rather than take action to improve his life.
Liu Zhang held the book tightly in his hand, unable to bring himself to open it again but equally unwilling to let it go. The book had been a wake-up call for him, forcing him to confront the hypocrisy of his own actions and inactions.
The book had forced Liu Zhang to confront the truth about himself and his own limitations, but he knew that it had always been there, lurking in the back of his mind. He had always been aware of his tendency to procrastinate and his own hypocrisy, but he had been unwilling or unable to take action to address it.
With a heavy heart and the weight of the book in his hands, Liu Zhang made his way through the bustling streets of the Liu Clan, struggling to come to terms with his own emotions. The book had forced him to confront some difficult truths about himself and his tendency to procrastinate, and he was feeling overwhelmed and unsure of how to move forward. Rather than facing his feelings head-on, Liu Zhang decided to retreat to the comfort of his own home and try to escape them through sleep.